Mushkin Ascent DDR3-2000

INTRODUCTION

I can't recall a time when technology moved as fast as RAM technology is moving today. It seems like just a few short months ago DDR3 had appeared and was grossly overpriced and rather underpowered. But in a short time the technology has advanced to such extreme levels that we are now beginning to see DDR3 be fiscally competitive with DDR2. But what about performance? Starting out at a rather meager DDR3-1333 we have seen what can only be referred to as exponential growth as today we are reviewing a kit designed to run at 2000MHz! You read that correct, RAM that is designed to run faster than some CPUs. Simply astonishing. The RAM is the Ascent DDR3-2000 and the company is Mushkin. Designed to run at extreme speeds and even more so when paired up with the 790i chipset from NVIDIA, the Ascent DDR3-2000 kit looks to take RAM to a whole new level.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Module Size: 2GB kit (2 x 1GB)
• Package: 240-pin DDR3 DIMMs
• Feature: DDR3-2000 / PC3-16000
• Specs: 9-9-9-24 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC •1.9 - 2.0v • 128Meg x 64

As you can see this is not your ordinary set of DDR3. The applied voltage is higher even higher than the default voltage for DDR2! (1.8v). So how does Mushkin do it? Have they been able to bend the laws of physics to their will? Well, not quite but the answer is still pretty ingenious. Flip the page to find out.